India placed 75 percent tariff on California almonds in response to President Trump’s trade war

A top American Senator on Monday slammed President Donald Trump for deterioration in a trade relationship with India asserting that his actions are hurting Californians in particular almond growers.

“India just placed a 75 percent tariff on almonds in response to President Trump’s trade war. His actions are hurting Californians,” Senator Dianne Feinstein said, days after India imposed import tariffs on more than two dozen American products, including Almond from California.

“California almond exports to India are worth more than USD650 million a year. The president must stop damaging trade relations with our allies,” Feinstein said.

The Indian move is in retaliation to the Trump’s termination of India’s designation as a beneficiary developing nation under the key GSP trade program after determining that it has not assured the US that it will provide “equitable and reasonable access to its markets.”

The suspension became effective June 5. India’s retaliatory tariffs came into effect Sunday. Apple and almond are some of the other American agricultural products to be impacted by India’s retaliatory tariffs.

According to Almond alliance of California, its almond export is being badly hit by retaliatory tariffs from both China and India. Almond growers in the Us are a worried lot now, as US Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) last month predicted a record California almond crop for the upcoming production year.

California almond orchards are expected to produce 2.50 billion pounds of nuts this year, up 8.69 percent from last year’s 2.30 billion-pound crop, it said.